marie-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



safety。　　How　could　I　suppose　that　he　would　be　interested　in　the　success

of　a　diplomatic　mission　to　Dingaan；　or　think　anything　about　it　except

that　it　was　a　risky　business？　　So　I　only　said：



〃Hans；　if　you　are　afraid；　you　had　better　stop　behind。　　I　can　easily　find

another　after…rider。〃



〃Is　the　baas　angry　with　me　that　he　should　speak　so？〃　asked　the

Hottentot。　　〃Have　I　not　always　been　true　to　him；　and　if　I　should　be

killed；　what　does　it　matter？　　Have　I　not　said　that　I　do　not　think　about

to…morrow；　and　we　must　all　go　to　sleep　sometime？　　No；　unless　the　baas

beats　me　back；　I　shall　come　with　him。　　But；　baas〃this　in　a　wheedling

tone〃you　might　give　me　some　brandy　to　drink　your　health　in　to…night。　

It　is　very　good　to　get　drunk　when　one　has　to　be　sober；　and　perhaps　dead；

for　a　long　time　afterwards。　　It　would　be　nice　to　remember　when　one　is　a

spook；　or　an　angel　with　white　wings；　such　as　the　old　baas；　your　father；

used　to　tell　us　about　in　school　on　the　Sabbath。〃



At　this　point；　finding　Hans　hopeless；　I　got　up　and　walked　away；　leaving

him　to　finish　our　preparations。



That　evening　there　was　a　prayer…meeting　in　the　camp；　for　although　no

pastor　was　present；　one　of　the　Boer　elders　took　his　place　and　offered　up

supplications　which；　if　simple　and　even　absurd　in　their　wording；　at

least　were　hearty　enough。　　Amongst　other　requests；　I　remember　that　he

petitioned　for　the　safety　of　those　who　were　to　go　on　the　mission　to

Dingaan　and　of　those　who　were　to　remain　behind。　　Alas！　those　prayers

were　not　heard；　for　it　pleased　the　Power　to　Whom　they　were　addressed　to

decree　otherwise。



After　this　meeting；　in　which　I　took　an　earnest　share；　Retief　who　just

before　it　began　had　ridden　in　from　Doornkop；　whither　he　had　been　to

visit　his　wife；　held　a　kind　of　council；　whereat　the　names　of　those　who

had　volunteered　or　been　ordered　to　accompany　him；　were　finally　taken

down。　　At　this　council　there　was　a　good　deal　of　discussion；　since　many

of　the　Boers　did　not　think　the　expedition　wiseat　any　rate；　if　it　was

to　be　carried　out　on　so　large　a　scale。　　One　of　them；　I　forget　which；　an

old　man；　pointed　out　that　it　might　look　like　a　war　party；　and　that　it

would　be　wiser　if　only　five　or　six　went；　as　they　had　done　before；　since

then　there　could　be　no　mistake　as　to　the　peaceful　nature　of　their

intentions。



Retief　himself　combated　this　view；　and　at　last　turned　suddenly　to　me；

who　was　listening　near　by；　and　said：



〃Allan　Quatermain；　you　are　young；　but　you　have　a　good　judgment；　also；

you　are　one　of　the　very　few　who　know　Dingaan　and　can　speak　his　language。

　Tell　us　now；　what　do　you　think？〃



Thus　adjured；　I　answered；　perhaps　moved　thereto　more　than　I　thought　by

Hans's　talk；　that　I；　too；　considered　the　thing　dangerous；　and　that

someone　whose　life　was　less　valuable　than　the　commandant's　should　go　in

command。



〃Why　do　you　say　so；　nephew；〃　he　said　irritably；　〃seeing　that　all　white

men's　lives　are　of　equal　value；　and　I　can　smell　no　danger　in　the

business？〃



〃Because；　commandant；　I　do　smell　danger；　though　what　danger　I　cannot

say；　any　more　than　a　dog　or　a　buck　can　when　it　sniffs　something　in　the

air　and　barks　or　runs。　　Dingaan　is　a　tamed　tiger　just　now；　but　tigers

are　not　house　cats　that　one　can　play　with　them；　as　I　know；　who　have　felt

his　claws　and　just；　only　just；　come　out　from　between　them。〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　nephew？〃　asked　Retief　in　his　direct　fashion。　　〃Do　you

believe　that　this　swartzel〃　（that　is；　black　creature）　〃means　to　kill

us？〃



〃I　believe　that　it　is　quite　possible；〃　I　answered。



〃Then；　nephew；　being　a　reasonable　man　as　you　are；　you　must　have　some

ground　for　your　belief。　　Come　now；　out　with　it。〃



〃I　have　none；　commandant；　except　that　one　who　can　set　the　lives　of　a

dozen　folk　against　a　man's　skill　in　shooting　at　birds　on　the　wing；　and

who　can　kill　people　to　be　a　bait　for　those　birds；　is　capable　of

anything。　　Moreover；　he　told　me　that　he　did　not　love　you　Boers；　and　why

should　he？〃



Now；　all　those　who　were　standing　about　seemed　to　be　impressed　with　this

argument。　　At　any　rate；　they　turned　towards　Retief；　anxiously　waiting

for　his　reply。



〃Doubtless；〃　answered　the　commandant；　who；　as　I　have　said；　was　irritable

that　night；　〃doubtless　those　English　missionaries　have　poisoned　the

king's　mind　against　us　Boers。　　Also；〃　he　added　suspiciously；　〃I　think

you　told　me；　Allan；　that　the　king　said　he　liked　you　and　meant　to　spare

you；　even　if　he　killed　your　companions；　just　because　you　also　are

English。　　Are　you　sure　that　you　do　not　know　more　than　you　choose　to　tell

us？　　Has　Dingaan　perhaps　confided　something　to　youjust　because　you　are

English？〃



Then　noting　that　these　words　moved　the　assembled　Boers；　in　whom　race

prejudice　and　recent　events　had　created　a　deep　distrust　of　any　born　of

British　blood；　I　grew　very　angry　and　answered：



〃Commandant；　Dingaan　confided　nothing　to　me；　except　that　some　Kaffir

witch…doctor；　who　is　named　Zikali；　a　man　I　never　saw；　had　told　him　that

he　must　not　kill　an　Englishman；　and　therefore　he　wished　to　spare　me；

although　one　of　your　people；　Hernan　Pereira；　had　whispered　to　him　that　I

ought　to　be　killed。　　Yet　I　say　outright　that　I　think　you　are　foolish　to

visit　this　king　with　so　large　a　force。　　Still；　I　am　ready　to　do　so

myself　with　one　or　two　others。　　Let　me　go；　then；　and　try　to　persuade　him

to　sign　this　treaty　as　to　the　land。　　If　I　am　killed　or　fail；　you　can

follow　after　me　and　do　better。〃



〃Allemachte！〃　exclaimed　Retief；　〃that　is　a　fair　offer。　　But　how　do　I

know；　nephew；　that　when　we　came　to　read　the　treaty　we　should　not　find

that　it　granted　all　the　land　to　you　English　and　not　to　us　Boers？　　No；

no；　don't　look　angry。　　That　was　not　a　right　thing　to　say；　for　you　are

honest　whatever　most　of　your　blood　may　be。　　Nephew　Allan；　you　who　are　a

brave　man；　are　afraid　of　this　journey。　　Now；　why　is　that；　I　wonder？　　Ah！

I　have　it。　　I　had　forgotten。　　You　are　to　be　married　to…morrow　morning　to

a　very　pretty　girl；　and　it　is　not　natural　that　you　should　wish　to　spend

the　next　fortnight　in　Zululand。　　Don't　you　see；　brothers；　he　wants　to

get　out　of　it　because　he　is　going　to　be　married；　as　it　is　natural　that

he　should；　and　therefore　he　tries　to　frighten　us　all？　　When　we　were

going　to　be　married；　should　we　have　wished　to　ride　away　at　once　to　visit

some　stinking　savage？　　Ach！　I　am　glad　I　thought　of　that　just　as　I　was

beginning　to　turn　his　gloomy　colour；　like　a　chameleon　on　a　black　hat；

for　it　explains　everything；〃　and　he　struck　his　thigh　with　his　big　hand

and　burst　into　a　roar　of　laughter。



All　the　company　of　Boers　who　stood　around　began　to　laugh　also；

uproariously；　for　this　primitive　joke　appealed　to　them。　　Moreover；　their

nerves　were　strained；　they　also　dreaded　this　expedition；　and　therefore

they　were　glad　to　relieve　themselves　in　bucolic　merriment。　　Everything

was　clear　to　them　now。　　Feeling　myself　in　honour　bound　to　go　on　the

embassy；　as　I　was　their　only　interpreter；　I；　artful　dog；　was　trying　to

play　upon　their　fears　in　order　to　prevent　it　from　starting；　so　that　I

might　have　a　week　or　two　of　the　company　of　my　new…wed　wife。　　They　saw

and　appreciated　the　joke。



〃He's　slim；　this　little　Englishman；〃　shouted　one。



〃Don't　be　angry　with　him。　　We　should　have　done　as　much　ourselves；〃

replied　another。



〃Leave　him　behind；〃　said　a　third。　　〃Even　the　Zulus　do　not　send　a

new…married　man　on　service。〃　　Then　they　smacked　me　on　the　back；　and

hustled　me　in　their　rude；　kindly　manner；　till　at　length　I　fell　into　a

rage　and　hit　one　of　them　on　the　nose；　at　which　he　only　laughed　the

louder；　although　I　made　it　bleed。



〃See　here；　friends；〃　I　said；　as　soon　as　silence　was　restored；　〃married

or　no；　whoever　does　not　ride　to　Dingaan；　I　ride　to　him；　although　it　is

against　my　judgment。　　Let　those　laugh　loudest　who　laugh　last。〃



〃Good！〃　cried　one；　〃if　you　set　the　pace　we　shall　soon　be　home　again；

Allan　Quatermain。　　Who　would　not　with　Marie　Marais　at　the　end　of　the

journey？〃



Then；　followed　by　their　rough　and　mocking　laughter；　I　broke　away　from

them；　and　took　refuge　in　my　wagon；　little　guessing　that　all　this　talk

would　be　brought　up　against　me　on　a　day　to　come。



In　a　certain　class　of　uneducated　mind　foresight　is　often　interpreted　as

guilty　knowledge。







CHAPTER　XVII









THE　MARRIAGE











I　was　awakened　on　my　wedding　morning　by　the　crash　and　bellowing　of　a

great　thunderstorm。　　The　lightning　flashed　fearfully　all　about　us；

killing　two　oxen　quite　near　to　my　wagon；　and　the　thunder　rolled　and

echoed　till　the　very　earth　seemed　to　shake。　　Then　came　a　wail　of　cold

wind；　and　after　that　the　swish　of　torrential　rain。　　Although　I　was　well

accustomed　to　such　natural　manifestations；　especially　at　this　season　of

the　year；　I　confess　that　these　sights　and　sounds　did　not　tend　to　raise

my　spirits；　which　were　already　lower　than　they　should　have　been　on　that

eventful　day。　　Hans；　however；　who　arrived　to　help　me　put　on　my　best

clothes　for　the　ceremony；　was　for　once　consoling。



〃Don't　look　sick；　baas；〃　he　said；　〃for　if　there　is　storm　in　the　morning；

there　is　shine　at　night。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　speaking　more　to　myself　than　to　him；　〃but　what　will

happen　between　the　storm　of　the　morning　and　the　peace　of　the　night？〃



It　was　arranged　that　the　commission；　which；　counting　the　native

after…riders；　consisted　of　over　a　hundred　people；　among　them　several

boys；　who　were　little　more　than　children；　was　to　ride　at　one　hour　before

noon。　　Nobody　could　get　about　to　make　the　necessary　preparations　until

the　heavy　rain　had　passed　away；　which　it　did　a　little　after　eight

o'clock。　　Therefore　when　I　left　the　wagon　to　eat；　or　try　to　eat　some

breakfast；　I　found　the　whole　camp　in　a　state　of　bustle。



Boers　were　shouting　to　their　servants；　horses　were　being　examined；　women

were　packing　the　saddle…bags　of　their　husbands　and　fathers　with　spare

clothes；　the　pack…beasts　were　being　laden　with　biltong　and　other

provisions；　and　so　forth。



In　the　midst　of　all　this　tumult　I　began　to　wonder　whether　my　private

business　would　not　be　forgotten；　since　it　seemed　unlikely　that　time

could　be　found　for　marriages。　　However；　about　ten　o'clock　when；　having

done　everything　that　I　had　to　do；　I　was　sitting　disconsolately　upon　my

wagon　box；　being　too　shy　to　mix　with　that　crowd　of　busy　mockers　or　to　go

to　the　Prinsloos'　camp　to　make　inquiries；　the　vrouw　herself　appeared。



〃Come　on；　Allan；〃　she　said；　〃the　commandant　is　waiting　and　swearing

because　you　are　not　there。　　Also；　there　is　another　waiting；　and　oh！　she

looks　lovely。　　When　they　see　her；　every　man　in　the　camp　will　want　her

for　himself；　whether　he　has　got　a　wife　or　not；　for　in　that　matter；

although　you　mayn't　think　so　just　now；　they　are　all　the　same　as　the

Kaffirs。　　Oh！　I　know　them；　I　know　them；　a　white　skin　makes　no

difference。〃



While　she　held　forth　thus　in　her　usual　outspoken　fashion；　the　vrouw　was

dragging　me　along　by　the　hand；